Dark Flower
by powerstaark
Summary: Elsa is raped by Hans whilst she is locked in the dungeon and as a result she becomes pregnant. With Anna's support, Elsa struggles to deal with the effects of the rape and her pregnancy. Rated M for a reason.
1. Raped

Elsa woke up. The first thing the noticed was that it was dark. Far too dark to be her Ice Palace. She got up and looked around. Seeing a window she went towards it but was yanked back by the shackles around her wrists and hands. The shackles confirmed she was in a dungeon. What she saw through the window confirmed where the dungeon was.

"Arendelle," she whispered, "What have I done?"

She heard a key turning in the lock and the door opened. A guard stood outside as Prince Hans entered. He glanced back at the guard.

"Give us some privacy," he ordered. The guard nodded and withdrew. Hans sat on the hard cot on which Elsa had been lying. He fingered his gloves thoughtfully. Elsa remained silent, waiting for him to speak. Finally he said, "I need you to stop this winter."

"I can't," Elsa told him, "I don't know how."

"You're an intelligent woman," said Hans, "Figure it out." He looked up at her grimly, "The people had no time to prepare for this. They're not ready to live through a harsh winter."

"If I knew how to stop it, I'd have done it already," Elsa protested.

"Perhaps," Hans said, "Unless the Duke of Weselton was right. Unless you are a monster." Elsa flinched when she heard the word.

"I'm not a monster," she mumbled but she sounded uncertain. Hans raised an eyebrow. A rather cruel smirk played about his lips.

"Even you don't believe that," he said and stood up, removing one of his gloves. For some reason this simple act made Elsa feel extremely nervous. She stepped back, as far as her chains would allow, "Your parents didn't either. Why else do you think they would have chains designed like these ones?" He gestured to the bonds which completely covered Elsa's hands. Elsa looked down at them. One could tell just by looking that they had been specifically designed for her. The thought of her parents chaining her up like an animal was like a punch in the stomach.

Hans was enjoying this. His demeanour was completely different from the one he had displayed when Anna introduced him to Elsa at her coronation party.

"This isn't just about the winter is it?" Elsa said nervously. Hans' smirk widened.

"No it's not," he said and took off his other glove, "I could have let those guards kill you in the Ice Palace but then I thought to myself 'wouldn't it be a shame to murder such a beauty without at least having some fun with her first'." He reached out and touched her cheek. Elsa jerked away from him, pulling on her chains, "Of course there were also the witnesses to take into account. I had to make them believe that I would make a fair and just ruler; one who is willing to give even an animal a chance for redemption. What's the point in being King if you're not beloved by your subjects?"

"So that's why you wanted to marry Anna," Elsa realised and then another thought struck her, "Where is she? What have you done with my sister?!"

"Truthfully I have no idea where she is," Hans said, "But I don't really care because I've got you now."

He turned, grabbed her shoulders, and yanked her towards him, slamming his lips onto hers with bruising force. Elsa was so surprised that it took her a second to realise what was happening. She struggled but then Hans threw her back onto her cot. His eyes were full of lust.

"I'm going to enjoy this," he said and yanked off his trousers. Elsa gasped and tried to freeze her chains. Her powers responded to her commands, but did so very slowly. The chains didn't block them completely but it would take a few minutes before her powers could build up to the point where her bonds would break.

Hans was suddenly right in front of her and Elsa found herself staring with horror at his stiff prick. She shut her eyes and turned away but Hans forced her to turn back towards him and his horribly large penis.

"Do you know where this is going Elsa?" he asked.

"Please," Elsa begged finding her voice again, "Let me go!"

"Tell me," Hans said, "Are you a virgin?" Elsa nodded mutely, "All the better." Hans ripped open her ice dress and positioned himself on top of her. He squeezed her breasts, enjoying the feel of them as he prepared to enter her. Elsa started to struggle violently, desperately willing her ice powers to freeze either Hans or the chains. Anything to get her out of this nightmare. Hans smacked her cheek hard. She cried out with pain but kept struggling. Ice was starting to spread around the room. Hans didn't even notice; he was so focussed on raping her and so burning with desire that the cold didn't bother him.

He penetrated her. It was hard but he finally managed it. Elsa screamed in agony. Hans felt the resistance of her maidenhead and grinned blissfully. She really was a virgin. It wasn't surprising considering the fact that she had spent thirteen years keeping herself isolated from other people.

"Help me!" Elsa screamed, "Somebody please!" Hans stuffed one of his gloves into her mouth, muffling her desperate screams. Elsa wept as she struggled hopelessly. The ice around the room was freezing. Elsa then realised that her chains were freezing too. However she couldn't pull on them very effectively in this position.

Finally she gasped as Hans released his seed into her body. He gasped too but unlike Elsa his gasp was one of pleasure, not pain. He finally pulled himself out of her, leaving her exhausted and weeping on the cot. He pulled the glove he had used to gag her out of her mouth.

"For a virgin, you really know how to please a man," Hans said as he put his clothes back on. He looked around at the freezing cell in mild surprise. Before he could comment though, there was a knock on the door.

"Prince Hans," said a guard outside, "Princess Anna has returned." Elsa gasped and rolled over, wincing in agony.

"Please," she gasped, "Don't hurt her!" Hans smiled and touched her cheek gently.

"Don't worry," he said, "I've had enough love for today."

Elsa was disgusted by the way he used the word "love". The door was slammed and locked as Hans left. Elsa struggled to her feet. She could barely stand due to the pain but nonetheless she yanked on her chains, making her hands as cold as she could.

Finally the chains gave in and broke. Elsa yanked her hands free and rubbed them. If what Hans had said was true, she would never forgive her parents for having those chains made. Elsa summoned an ice dress, much thicker and less provocative than the one she was worn before, and stumbled to the window. Ice covered the wall around it. She focussed and made the wall even colder till the ice began to crack. Then she blasted the wall apart with a massive gust of freezing wind. By the time the guard entered to see what the commotion was about, Elsa was gone.

* * *

Elsa stumbled through the snow. The blizzard was so fierce that she didn't know where she was. She was trying to find a way back into the castle, a way to get to Anna but her storming emotions had made the blizzard so powerful that she couldn't tell if she was closer to the castle or further away from it.

"Elsa!" bellowed a voice and Elsa was horrified to see Hans emerge, "You can't escape!"

"Stay away!" Elsa screamed, "Don't come any closer or I swear I'll freeze you where you stand!"

"I need to tell you something!" Hans said, "When Anna returned, she was weak and cold! She said you froze her heart!" Elsa thought back to when Anna had visited her in her Ice Palace. She had caught a glimpse of her icy powers enter her sisters chest but had prayed it was just her imagination.

"Leave me alone!" Elsa yelled at Hans.

"Not until you know what your actions caused!" Hans retorted, "Your sister's dead because of you!" Elsa was speechless for a moment.

"Liar!" she screamed, "You're a liar!"

"You can't say that just because I took your virginity!" Hans retaliated.

"Did you take my sisters virginity too?!" Elsa screamed, "Before you murdered her?!"

"Anna's not my type!" Hans said, "And she was already dying anyway! I just sped up the process! I was putting her out of her misery!" Elsa felt her rage begin to die down and as it did, the storm began to as well. Her anger and fear was replaced by sorrow and guilt. She fell onto her knees.

"Put me out of _my_ misery," she pleaded, "Just kill me. Please."

"If you insist," said Hans and drew his sword. Elsa closed her eyes. She thought she heard stumbling footsteps on the ice but paid them no attention. She waited for Hans' killing blow.

"NO!"


	2. Pregnant

Anna was worried about Elsa. After the initial elation of their reunion and Elsa being welcomed back as queen had worn off, she had spent most of her time in her room. She had promised not to lock Anna out again but seemed to be avoiding her instead. Anna went to Elsa's room to find out what was wrong.

It was as though she had stepped back in time to just over two months earlier, when Elsa had constantly refused to open the door. Anna reminded herself that it was different this time. She knocked. There was a short silence. For a moment Anna thought Elsa was going to break her promise.

"The door's unlocked Anna," Elsa said. She sounded very tired. Anna entered and found her sister sitting at her desk, working her way through a mountain of paperwork. Elsa smiled weakly. Anna didn't smile back.

"My god Elsa, you look exhausted!" Anna gasped. It was true. Elsa looked as though she had hardly slept since she brought summer back to the kingdom. There were dark bags under her eyes and her hair, which was not in a braid as it normally was, was a mess.

"I'm a busy woman Anna," Elsa replied, signing a letter, "What do you want?"

"I came to see if you're okay," Anna said.

"I'm fine," Elsa said shortly.

"Have you been sleeping?"

"No time."

"Elsa you're going to die from exhaustion if you don't get some rest," Anna said and crossed over to her. She allowed Elsa to finish the letter she was signing then whipped the quill out of her hand.

"Hey!" Elsa cried, "Give that back!"

"Not until you've had some sleep," Anna said.

"I can't sleep!" Elsa snapped. Her voice was irritable but there was an undertone of something else, too subtle for Anna to identify.

"You have to!" Anna snapped, "The last thing we need is for our queen to kill herself from exhaustion!" She pulled Elsa out of her chair and led her towards the bed. Elsa wrenched herself free.

"No!" She cried, once again with that strange undertone. It sounded suspiciously like fear.

"Elsa, what's the matter with you?"

"Don't make me sleep!" Elsa said desperately and now there was no doubt that she was afraid. Anna frowned.

"Elsa, you can't stay alive if you don't sleep," she said, "What are you so afraid of?" She noticed the room getting colder. Elsa was hugging herself and shivering, but Anna knew it wasn't from the cold. Her sister was immune to freezing temperatures so something else was bothering her. Ice started to spread around her feet.

"Anna, please leave me alone," Elsa whispered.

"No!" Anna said, "You promised you would never shut me out again."

"When I said that I was referring to the door," Elsa said.

"Well I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong!" Anna said stubbornly. She crossed her arms and legs and sat on the bed, ignoring the fact that the room was getting uncomfortably chilly.

"I might hurt you again," Elsa protested.

"I don't care," Anna replied, "I'm not leaving."

Finally Elsa sat down. Anna wasn't sure if she'd given in or was simply too exhausted to stay standing but either way it encouraged her.

"Elsa, please tell me what's wrong," she said more gently. Elsa started to cry.

"I haven't had my period," she moaned. Anna blinked.

"Okay," she said slowly, "I didn't see that coming. Do you need to visit a physician?"

"No!" Elsa cried, sounding terrified at the suggestion, "I don't want anyone to find out!"

"Find out what?" Anna said, "Elsa if you're sick…"

"I'm not sick!" Elsa snapped, "Well I am but… you don't…" She stopped. There was a brief silence. Then Elsa buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Anna wrapped an arm around her shaking shoulders.

It took Elsa five minutes to calm down. Anna had never seen her like this before; her break down on the fjord didn't count since Anna was frozen at the time and therefore couldn't see anything. It was scary to see her strong-willed sister reduced to a sobbing wreck. She was usually so good at hiding her emotions and seeing her break down like this broke Anna's heart.

Finally Elsa mumbled something.

"Sorry?" said Anna, "I didn't catch that."

"I said… I think I'm pregnant," Elsa muttered, only slightly louder than before.

It took exactly seven seconds for that to sink in.

"But… that's… you… you can't be pregnant!" Anna stuttered, "You're a virgin!" Elsa was very quiet, "Elsa?"

"Hans is the father," Elsa said, throwing the words out as quickly as she could and feeling the weight of her secret begin to grow a little lighter as she continued, "It happened when I was locked in the dungeons. I've been having nightmares about it ever since."

"Oh my god!" cried Anna, "He raped you?" Elsa nodded, "That sick, twisted, evil little piece of SHIT! Why did you send him back to the Southern Isles? You should have had him executed!"

"I brought it on myself," Elsa whispered and Anna was so shocked that she stopped raging.

"Elsa what in God's name makes you think that?" she said.

"You've seen my ice dress," Elsa said, looking ashamed, "I was still wearing it when he captured me."

"You think he took advantage of you just because of what you were wearing?" Anna said incredulously.

"Well why else would he do it?" Elsa asked miserably.

"Because he's EVIL, Elsa!" Anna insisted, "He wanted to have power over all of Arendelle. It's hardly surprising that he wanted to have power over the queen too. My god, if I'd known before he left I would have killed him with my bare hands! I can't believe I was stupid enough to agree to marry that arrogant, two faced, sadistic…"

"I don't know what to do, Anna," Elsa whimpered. She spoke quietly but somehow it was enough to shut Anna up, "I don't want this baby but at the same time I feel like I'd be committing murder if I get rid of it."

"Well it's not born yet so I don't think it counts as murder," Anna pointed out. Elsa wiped her eyes.

"I feel like a whore," she mumbled, "I feel so dirty and cheap and pathetic and…"

"Elsa, stop it," Anna said and hugged her, "You're not a whore and you're not cheap or dirty or pathetic or whatever other horrible words you were going to use. Hans is the filthy one not you."

"What will the people think?" Elsa cried, "If I have a child before I'm married…" Ice was spreading due to Elsa's rising panic. Anna shivered but firmly continued to hug her sister, trying the convey all of her love, concern and sympathy with her touch.

"Worry about that later," she said, "You still have the option of aborting it if it gets too much. And I'll be here for you every step of the way."

Elsa returned Anna's embrace and began to grow calmer. The ice around them started to thaw.

"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" asked Anna. Elsa hesitated. Anna knew that she was worrying about hurting her again, "We both know that if we get cold a little love can warm us up."

"Okay," Elsa said cautiously, "I... I don't want to be on my own."

"As long as I'm around, you'll never be alone again," Anna promised.


	3. Secret

Elsa vomited violently into a bucket. Anna held back her hair so that she didn't cover it in sick. Elsa's stomach was noticeably bulging by now.

"Elsa, unless you abort it, you can't keep this baby a secret forever," Anna said.

"I know," mumbled Elsa, "Why can't I just find the strength to freeze it or something?"

"Well if you did that you'd risk freezing yourself," Anna joked. Elsa smirked.

"I'm the Snow Queen," she said, "Freezing cold doesn't bother me."

"You might not feel that way if you're trapped in a block of ice," Anna said. Her voice was gloomy, only briefly but Elsa noticed. She instantly felt guilty and Anna noticed, "No Elsa don't feel guilty! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up. It's not your fault I got frozen."

"Whose fault is it then?" asked Elsa.

"Mama and Papa for making you conceal your powers in the first place," Anna said without hesitation. Elsa glared at her. Anna was much more vocal about her anger towards their late parents than her elder sister. At times Elsa felt she was dishonouring their memory, even though part of her agreed that it _was_ largely their fault that Arendelle had been frozen. She didn't agree that it was their fault she had frozen Anna though.

"Mama and Papa made mistakes," she said patiently, "But it's not their fault my powers are dangerous."

"No but it _is _their fault that you had to hide them," Anna insisted, "When I go to heaven I am really going to give them an earful. Even if I have to wait another eighty years before I kick the bucket." She suddenly giggled and kicked Elsa's bucket, "Kick the bucket; get it?

"Very funny," Elsa said without any hint of amusement. She suddenly vomited into the bucket again and groaned, "Oh god, what would people think if they saw me like this?"

"Gerda told me about pregnancy," Anna said, "Just because you're the queen and you have awesome ice powers, it doesn't mean you're immune to sickness." She hesitated, "Elsa I've been keeping your secret but people are beginning to get suspicious. You're getting too fat. I've told them you've been eating too much chocolate but everybody knows that you freeze off fat very quickly."

"I… I'm scared," Elsa admitted, "Even telling you was difficult. This whole situation is bloody terrifying!" Anna blinked. She had never heard Elsa swear before.

"Can we at least tell Kristoff?" Anna pleaded, "He's upset that I'm not spending more time with him and I can't tell him why. I think he might suspect that I'm seeing another man." Elsa looked up at her. She hadn't realised that her pregnancy was affecting Anna too.

"Okay," she mumbled, "You can tell Kristoff. And Olaf. But just… don't spread it around. I don't care how fat I'm getting; I'm not ready for everyone to know yet." She hesitated, "Do you think I should abort it?" She had asked Anna a dozen times before and although her younger sister was trying to be patient, Elsa knew that it was rapidly fading.

"Elsa, we've been over this," Anna said with a note of exasperation, "I can't make that decision for you. I've told you I don't consider it murder but overall it's _your_ choice, not mine."

"I'm sorry," Elsa said quietly. She got up and went back to her bed.

"Will you be okay for a while?" asked Anna. Elsa nodded, "Okay I'll see you later. I'm going to tell Kristoff the good… erm I mean bad… wait do you consider this good or bad?"

"I was bloody raped, Anna!" Elsa snapped, "Of course I consider it bad!"

"I just thought that since you still haven't gotten rid of it…" Anna began.

"Just go and see Kristoff," Elsa said irritably, "I'll be fine. Go on." Anna hesitated but then hurried out of the room.

* * *

Kristoff was feeding Sven in the palace stables when Anna arrived. Sven noticed and jerked his head towards her so that Kristoff would turn around. Anna smiled shyly.

"Hi Kristoff," she said.

"Hi," Kristoff said. There was an awkward silence. Sven gave an exasperated grunt and glared at the two of them.

"Sven's right," Anna said, "We need to talk. Where's Olaf?"

"Probably in town," Kristoff said.

"Well I have something I need to share with all three of you," Anna said, "I'll go and fetch him." She ran off. Kristoff looked at Sven.

"Do you think she's going to see another man?" he asked. Sven grunted and Kristoff changed his voice to imitate a reply, "She's going to find a _snow_man." He changed back to his own voice, "You know what I mean." Sven again, "Oh come on, this is the girl who died to save her sister. If there's one thing Anna has, besides love, it's loyalty." Kristoff again, "Yeah you're right buddy. Guess I'm just being paranoid."

Anna returned ten minutes later and found Kristoff lying on a bed of hay with Sven beside him. Olaf was right behind her. Anna sat down on some hay and looked around.

"Where are the horses?" she asked.

"They were taken for a hunt," Kristoff explained, "I doubt they'll be back before sunset. So what do you have to say?"

Anna noted that there was just the barest hint of suspicion in his voice. She felt slightly hurt by this but understood why he felt that way so she pushed it away.

"First I need to apologise for not spending more time with you guys," Anna began, "I needed to look after Elsa because… she's been through even more than we originally thought." Sven and Kristoff both raised their eyebrows in an expression that was remarkably similar, considering the species difference. Olaf just looked concerned.

"Is she hurt?" the snowman asked worriedly. Anna hesitated.

"Well… yes," she said, "But… it's complicated… She was… oh to hell with subtlety! Elsa's pregnant and Hans is the father."

"What!" roared Kristoff and Sven made an outraged noise. Olaf blinked in confusion.

"Erm… don't two people have to love each other very much to have kids?" he asked innocently. Anna smiled.

"I thought you were a love expert, Olaf," she teased then grew serious again, "Although having kids doesn't actually need any love. It needs… well…" Olaf was looking more and more confused. Anna blushed, "It's not something you need to worry about since you're a snowman."

"Oh," Olaf said, "Okay."

"Anyway Hans hurt Elsa badly and…" Anna began.

"That son of a bitch raped her!" Kristoff snarled. Anna winced at the word. Olaf and Sven glanced at each other. Olaf was still clueless but Sven at least got the gist of what Kristoff had just said.

"Yeah," Anna said, "That's why I haven't been able to spend time with you. Elsa's really struggling with the pregnancy; she still hasn't decided if she wants to get rid of the baby or not."

"Who the hell would want to have a monsters child?" bellowed Kristoff.

"Someone who would never intentionally hurt an innocent creature," Olaf said quietly. He still wasn't quite sure what the word "raped" meant but it hardly took a genius to figure out that it referred to something horrible. But Olaf knew Elsa better than anyone besides Anna – in a way she was his mother after all – and he knew that Elsa cared about any form of life, even one that hadn't been born yet.

"Elsa doesn't want to have the child," Anna said, "But she feels like she would be committing murder if she got rid of it." She looked around at the three of them, "I need you all to promise me something. Elsa doesn't want anyone else to know about this yet. You must all keep it a secret until she's ready."

All three of them agreed.


	4. Confession

Elsa sat on her bed, rubbing her stomach which was now quite large. There was a knock on the door and then, without waiting for an answer, Anna entered the room carrying a tray with a bowel and spoon on it.

"I've got you some soup," Anna said, "Vegetable just the way you like it."

"Thanks," Elsa said, then looked down at her stomach. There was a moments silence, "I have to tell them, don't I?"

"Yeah," Anna said, "I'm sure the people won't hold it against you. It's not your fault Hans was a rapist."

Elsa sighed.

"Get Kai and Gerda to arrange a gathering in the courtyard tomorrow," she ordered, "I'll tell them then."

"Right," Anna said and left Elsa's soup on her bedside table before leaving.

* * *

Anna had seen Elsa nervous before but now her sister seemed downright terrified. She paced anxiously around the chamber which led to the royal balcony where monarchs would address their people. Anna put a hand on her shoulder.

"Elsa, I'll be with you okay?" she said.

"Shouldn't I… tell them by myself?" Elsa asked, "Make it seem like I don't need help?"

"But you _do _need help."

"If the people know that, they'll think I'm weak!"

"Elsa look at me," Anna put both hands on her sisters shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "You're _not _weak. You're the complete opposite of weak. You're the strongest person I've ever known. And if the people can't see that, then they're idiots. You shouldn't care about the opinions of idiots."

Elsa hesitated. She was remembering something.

"I don't care what they're going to say," she said almost inaudibly.

"What?" Anna asked and frowned.

"Nothing," Elsa said and stood up straight. Her bloated belly stuck out but she still looked suitably graceful and regal. She smiled at Anna and took a deep breath, "You're right Anna. Besides I've held this off for too long." Elsa strode to the doors, pushed them open and stepped out onto the balcony.

The sea of faces below was silent and confused; no one from outside the castle, apart from Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, knew why they were here. Elsa looked into the crowd and caught sight of the three of them; Kristoff was standing beside Sven while Olaf was perched somewhat awkwardly between the reindeer's antlers. Kristoff caught Elsa's eye and nodded. Elsa glanced back at Anna who smiled encouragingly. Elsa took a deep breath and began to speak.

"People of Arendelle," Elsa began and Anna was impressed by the fact that her voice did not shake as she spoke. Only the queen's hands, which were clasped in front of her to stop them from shaking, betrayed her uncertainty, "I've summoned you all here today because I have something to tell you. It is something that shames me deeply, but if the last thirteen and a half years have taught me anything, it is that keeping secrets only create more pain. For the people who hide the secret as well as the people they hide it from."

A few people in the crowd seemed to take her words to heart. Elsa continued; "Five months ago, just before the end of the winter that my powers unwittingly caused, I was locked in the dungeon of this very castle. I'm sure you all remember Prince Hans?"

People in the crowd nodded and a few muttered to each other.

"He visited me while I was in the dungeons and… he sexually assaulted me," Elsa said and for the first time her voice did tremble.

Anna appeared beside her sister, having stood back until now, and looked at her with love, sympathy and compassion. Elsa hesitated as Anna gently took her hand but didn't pull away. Below them, there were some gasps and a few outraged yells from the crowd. The words "that fucker!" could be heard distinctly from somewhere near the back and a woman near the front said "I knew that lad was only pretending to be Prince Charming!" Their outrage on her behalf made Elsa feel better.

Once the crowd had calmed down Elsa continued, still gripping Anna's hand; "A few weeks later I realised that Hans' rape affected more than simply my emotional and mental state."

She gestured to her stomach. Most people realised what she meant but a few were clueless. Elsa noticed Sven look around and shake his head at their clueless expressions, almost dislodging Olaf in the process.

"His assault caused me to become pregnant," Elsa finished for the stupider or more innocent citizens.

"And she hates him for it," Anna added, hoping to convince the people that their queen was not a whore. The crowd started yelling again. Elsa then noticed that an elderly woman near the front was trying to catch her attention.

"Calm down please!" she called, "This woman has something to say!" The crowd kept going.

"Shut the hell up!" Anna roared so loudly that it echoed around the courtyard. That got their attention. They all shut up and Elsa addressed the old lady at the front.

"What do you have to say?" she asked

"Forgive me your Majesty," said the woman, "but why don't you just abort the child?"

"Yeah that's what I would do," said a teenaged girl.

"Me too!" said a woman a few years older than the teenager.

"I can't," Elsa said simply before the crowd could get riled up again, "I feel that if I aborted the child I would be committing murder."

"But it's not even born yet," said the teenager.

"I know that," Elsa replied patiently. She studied the girl. She looked about eighteen, "Have you had children?

"No Your Majesty," said the teenager.

"Then you don't know what it feels like," Elsa said, "I hate Hans for what he did to me, but I can't in good conscience take out that hatred on the child. It's not the baby's fault that its father was a rapist."

The girl nodded understandingly and nobody else in the crowd questioned the Queen. There was a moments silence before Elsa spoke again.

"I apologise for bringing you all here to give you such… disturbing news," she said, "This public announcement is complete. Anyone who wishes to have a look around the grounds is welcome to do so. Otherwise please go back to your daily lives,"

She realised that she was still holding Anna's hand. She gently let go before going back into the castle. The crowd started to disperse. A few went to Kristoff, Olaf and Sven who offered to guide them around the grounds. Elsa looked at Anna and smiled as Anna closed the balcony doors.

"Thank you for supporting me," Elsa said, "Not just out there but over the last few months."

"You don't need to thank me," Anna replied with a warm smile, "That's what sisters are for."


	5. Suspected Slut

Kristoff was walking through the town with Sven when he heard three men whispering in an alley. Sven looked at him.

"It's none of our business," Kristoff muttered.

Then he heard the words "Ice Queen" and "whore". His eyes narrowed. Sven jerked his head towards the alley.

"Stay back, Sven," muttered Kristoff and slipped into the alley, hiding behind a large bin.

"The Ice Queen raped in her own castle, when she has incredible magical ice powers?" one of the men said to his friends, "Bullshit! Hans was a good looking guy. Any woman would have wanted to be deflowered by him."

"And where's the evidence that it was even her first time?" said another man, "The girl may have kept herself locked away for thirteen years but people have urges. She could have done it with one of the servants or something. Not all of them were fired you know."

Kristoff's eyes narrowed in rage. He stood up and strode towards the men.

"Excuse me," he said, "That's the Queen and my girlfriends sister you're talking about!"

The men looked frightened at having been caught but quickly composed themselves.

"You know the Princess will lose interest in you before long," said one of them, "An Ice Harvester and a Princess; a relationship like that will never last."

Kristoff clenched his fists.

"You have no idea about what it means to love someone," he growled.

"Look pretty boy," said one of the other men, "You may be Royal Ice Master and Deliverer - which is a bloody ridiculous title I might add - but you still aren't nearly noble enough to marry Anna."

"Yeah maybe you should go for that slutty Queen instead," said the third man and the three men laughed. Kristoff saw red. He lunged forwards and punched the man right in the face. There was a very satisfying crack and a gush of blood as the mans nose broke. He howled in pain. The other two checked on their friend, then turned back to Kristoff and attacked him. Kristoff was big and strong, having spent a lifetime harvesting ice, but these two were as muscular as he and had probably experienced many a tavern brawl in their time.

Suddenly Sven came charging into the alley, his antlers lowered. The men, who had managed to knock Kristoff onto the ground and were in the process of kicking him, fled from the angry reindeer. Sven snorted contemptuously at them as they ran away and then turned to Kristoff. He grinned painfully.

"Thanks buddy," he said and gripped one of Sven's antlers which the reindeer used to pull him to his feet. Sven gave him a reproachful look. Kristoff changed his voice to the one he imagined his reindeer friend using, "You were stupid to attack them!" Kristoff spoke like himself again, "They insulted Elsa. Anna wouldn't have stood by and let them get away with that." He imitated Sven again, "Anna's more reckless than you are. Or at least I thought she was," Kristoff shrugged, "I guess some of her recklessness has rubbed off on me." He then winced in pain. Sven's reproachful look turned to one of concern. This time Kristoff didn't bother imitating him. "I'm fine Sven. Just a few bruises, nothing I can't handle." He and Sven left the alley together.

* * *

Sven was in the stables with Kristoff when Anna arrived.

"Hey Kristoff," she said happily, "I was wondering if you wanted to go and get some food." Then she noticed the bruises on his face, "Oh god what happened?"

"Got into a scrap in an alley," Kristoff shrugged, "Relax Anna, it happens all the time."

"Who did it!" Anna yelled, "I'll break their noses!"

"I already did that to one of them, Feisty Pants," Kristoff chuckled, then winced again. Anna looked concerned.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she said.

"Anna, I've had more serious injuries than these," Kristoff said seriously, "Being an Ice Harvester can be dangerous you know." He grinned, "Especially when your best friend's a big, clumsy reindeer." Sven shot him a look and Kristoff did an impression of him, "Hey! Watch your mouth!" Anna giggled and Sven rolled his eyes.

"What was the fight about?" asked Anna sitting beside Kristoff on the haystack. Kristoff hesitated.

"It doesn't matter," he said. Sven glanced at him and Anna. Kristoff wasn't sure if he was encouraging him to tell Anna or not. Anna looked from Sven to Kristoff.

"Come on Kristoff," she said, "I trusted you with the secret about Elsa's pregnancy." Kristoff sighed.

"The men were insulting Elsa," he said and Anna's expression darkened.

"What did they say?" she asked. Sven actually backed away and Kristoff began to sweat. He didn't understand why he was scared, since Anna's fiery temper would not be directed at him if he told her, but somehow seeing the small girl angry was quite frightening.

"They... thought she willingly submitted to Hans," he mumbled, "They think she's a whore."

As expected, Anna exploded.

"How dare they!" she shrieked, "Elsa's been through hell and those bastards have the nerve to say that she _wanted _to be raped by a sadist? Who are they Kristoff! I'm gonna have their tongues cut out!"

"Calm down Anna," Kristoff said, "They were just three unnamed idiots. Their opinions mean nothing. We all know that Elsa's not a whore."

"Besides," said Elsa's voice from the stable door, "I've already said I don't care what they're going to say." Anna stopped raging as her sister entered. By now Elsa was so large that her normally graceful walk had become more of a waddle and walking long distances exhausted her. She slumped down on the haystack.

"Elsa um... I wasn't really gonna cut out their tongues," Anna stammered, "I mean unless you wanted me to. But even if you did, I wouldn't actually do it myself because it's too messy and..."

"Anna," Elsa said, "Please shut up." Anna did so. Elsa sighed, "I had a feeling some of the citizens would react like this. That's why I was so scared of telling them. It's easy to say I don't care what they think but..."

"You're the queen," Kristoff finished for her, "You want to set a good example for your people." Elsa nodded.

"Exactly," she said, then looked down at her massive belly, "I don't think I should keep this child. I decided months ago that I wouldn't abort it but... maybe I should give it away to another family. I'm not ready to be a mother." She winced suddenly.

"What's wrong?" asked Anna.

"The baby kicked me," Elsa said, "It's been doing that a lot recently." They are silent for a while.

"What if Hans comes back for the kid?" Kristoff asked unexpectedly.

"If he ever shows his face around here again, I'll kill him!" Anna growled and Elsa, Kristoff and Sven all believed her.

"Okay but say he makes it past Anna," said Kristoff, "What happens then? I mean, whether we like it or not, he _is_ the child's father."

"He'll get a death sentence if he returns to Arrendelle," Elsa said seriously, "I told him that before he left. We don't need to worry about Hans. I just need to worry about what I'm going to do when the baby comes."


	6. Labour

Elsa was in the royal gardens when she felt her waters break. She stared at the water between her legs, which very quickly turned into ice as terror washed over her.

"Anna!" Elsa screamed. Her sister was fortunately within earshot and ran to the garden to find Elsa stumbling and grimacing in pain.

"Elsa what..." Anna didn't have time to finish.

"I need to get to my room!" Elsa said, grabbing Anna for support as a contraction attacked her, "The baby's coming!"

* * *

Anna pushed open the door to Elsa's room and Kristoff carried the queen inside. He hurriedly laid Elsa on her bed as Gerda rushed in, followed by Kai and Olaf. Everyone except Olaf looked frightened.

"Oh isn't this exciting?" said Olaf enthusiastically.

"No!" Elsa shrieked; she sounded slightly hysterical, "It's bloody terrifying! Argh!" Another contraction tore through her body. Gerda hastily parted Elsa's dress to make room for the baby and the queen spread her legs. Kristoff looked very uncomfortable. He stepped back, watching Elsa with concern whilst making sure he was not at an angle that would give him a view of her vagina. Anna held her sister's hand.

"Elsa you're gonna be fine," Anna babbled, "You've made it through worse. You'll be okay!" Elsa screamed again. Kai was wringing his hands. Even Olaf's smile was gone now that he realised that his "mother" was really in agony, "Elsa look at me! I'm right here! You'll be fine!

"Anna, I'm scared!" Elsa whimpered then clenched her fist around her sisters hand, hard enough to hurt, as another wave of agony washed through her body.

"Just push, Your Majesty!" Gerda called from between Elsa's legs. Elsa groaned as she pushed.

"Come on!" Anna cried, "Keep going!" Elsa pushed again; another shriek tore from her lips. By now Anna was crying even as she tried to reassure her sister. She wished she could take the pain away from her. She barely registered the fact that Elsa's grip on her hand was agonisingly tight.

"I can see the head!" Olaf called. Gerda glanced down.

"Yes," she said, "Come on Elsa! You can do it!" Elsa pushed again. "Just a little bit more."

"Oh no!" cried Olaf, "She's bleeding!"

"What!" screamed Anna.

"It's normal," Gerda said swiftly, "Don't stop!"

Finally, Elsa gasped and felt the baby leave her body along with a lot of blood. She slumped back on the pillow. Her whole body was covered in sweat. She had never felt so exhausted in her life. Between her legs, the sheets of her bed were covered in warm, red liquid.

"Elsa!" cried Anna, sounding terrified, "Stay with me!"

"She's losing a lot of blood!" cried Gerda.

"Then stop the bleeding!" Anna screamed, "Save her!" Elsa felt herself slipping away. She looked up at her sister and tried to speak but she just couldn't get the words out, "No, no, no, no Elsa! Come on, you can make it through this! Hang on!"

"I... love... you," Elsa croaked. Was she dying? She wasn't sure but she needed to get the words out just in case. She briefly wondered if this was how Anna had felt when she had frozen her.

Finally Elsa slumped against the pillows and everything went black.


	7. Deaths Door

Anna stayed by Elsa's side all night. Gerda had cleared up the blood and taken the baby away. Kristoff, Olaf and Kai had left Anna alone with her sister.

"Elsa please," Anna whispered, "Don't die. I can't lose you again." Her voice trembled and she started to cry again. She thought she had run out of tears. Elsa's skin had always been pale but now she was almost white. She was also very still. During the time since the Great Thaw, Anna had helped Elsa sleep many times and she was never this still. Only the rise and fall of her chest showed that she was still alive.

Anna didn't sleep. She couldn't, even though she was exhausted. Her terror of losing her sister kept her awake. Every so often she would press her ear against Elsa's chest to make sure her heart was still beating.

The sun rose and Anna still sat beside her sister, watching, waiting and worrying. Elsa's hand was clasped in her own. Anna's right hand was bruised from when Elsa had squeezed it during labour. The Princess barely noticed. She glanced out of the window as the sun rose.

"Elsa," Anna murmured, "It's morning." Elsa didn't respond, "Haven't you got loads of work to do?" Anna hated it when Elsa was working but right now she just wanted her to open her eyes. "The baby survived. I don't know if it's a boy or a girl but it survived," Still nothing. When Anna spoke again, she was begging. "Elsa, please. I need you. I love you. If you die..." She barely restrained a sob.

Then Anna felt a slight pressure in her hand. At first she thought she was imagining it but then Elsa squeezed her hand, gently. The squeeze hurt a little as it pressed on the bruises but Anna's heart leapt. Elsa's large blue eyes flickered open. She looked at Anna, took a second to recognise her, and smiled weakly.

"Anna," she whispered.

"Elsa!" cried Anna and Elsa winced at the volume, "Oh sorry. I just... I was so scared. You lost so much blood and I thought you were going to die and I don't know what I would do without you. I felt like I was dying inside and I was thinking that if you died, maybe I'd want to..." Elsa squeezed her hand a little tighter, not wanting her to finish that sentence.

"Relax Anna," she said, "You're not getting rid of me that easily." Anna threw her arms around her sister, tears of relief falling down her face. Elsa hugged her back.

"I'm so glad you're okay," whispered Anna, "I've never been so scared before."

"I'm not going to die, Anna," Elsa said and then added teasingly, "I couldn't leave _you_ to rule Arrendelle could I?" Anna laughed and cried at the same time.

The door opened and Kai entered with a tray of breakfast. He smiled with relief when he saw Anna's overjoyed expression and Elsa's exhausted but happy smile.

"Thank the lord," Kai set down the tray on the bedside table, "You really scared us, Elsa."

"Don't worry Kai," Elsa said, "I've got no intention of dying in the near future. I'm only twenty one."

"I'll tell everyone that you're all right," said Kai and left the room.

Elsa looked at Anna. She hesitated then asked, "How's the baby?"

"I don't know," Anna replied, "Gerda took it away."

"Boy or girl?" Elsa asked.

"I wasn't listening," Anna said, "I was too scared for you."

"You rarely listen anyway," Elsa pointed out and Anna smiled. They were silent for a while. Elsa looked down at her stomach, "I'm glad it's not inside me anymore," she muttered, "But now I'm not sure what to do with it."

"How about you see it first and then decide?" Anna suggested.

**I just wanted to give you guys a scare. I love Elsa too much to kill her off.**


	8. Bastard Daughter

Gerda carried Elsa's baby into the queens room. Kai accompanied her. Elsa was still in bed but was now sitting up straight. Anna was still beside her. Elsa looked at Gerda and Kai, then at the baby.

"It's a girl," Gerda said and offered the baby to Elsa. Elsa looked down at the child and hesitated. She remembered exactly how that little girl had been forced inside her in the first place. Very slowly she took the baby. The girl looked up at her mother and smiled innocently.

"She's got your eyes," Anna said, "That's good."

Elsa remained silent as she examined the child carefully, looking for any hint of Hans in the baby's features. She began to relax. There was a long silence.

"What are you gonna call her?" asked Anna. Elsa tensed again.

"I don't know," she mumbled, "I'm not sure I want to name her."

"Do you want to give her away?" Anna asked after a moment's hesitation.

"I don't know," Elsa said again.

"Well... do you know _anything_ about what you want to do with this baby?" asked Anna.

"Not really," Elsa admitted, "I told you before; I'm not ready to be a mother. And this child is a result of rape."

"You haven't frozen her," said Kai quietly. Everyone looked up at him, "In fact you seem remarkably calm Your Highness."

"Elsa," Anna said, "How do you feel towards her?"

Elsa looked down at the baby. She was waving her arms around and grinning, showing her gums. It was hard to believe that the innocent little creature had been sired by a sociopath. But that didn't stop Elsa from remembering that day in the dungeons. It hurt to look down at that sweet little face whilst remembering - even though she was trying to forget it - who was responsible for planting the baby's seed inside her in the first place.

"I feel... like I want to protect her," Elsa said finally, "And at the same time I want to give her away. I feel confused."

"That's to be expected," Gerda said, "If you want I'll look after her until you make up your mind."

"Thank you Gerda," Elsa said and handed the baby back to the maid. Gerda and Kai left and Kai closed the door.

"You don't have to keep her, you know," Anna said quietly.

"I know," Elsa said, "But half of me wants to. And the other half doesn't. I don't know which half I should listen to."

"I think you should keep her," Anna said, "Like you said during your speech, it's not her fault she had an evil father."

"But I don't know if I can really love her," Elsa said, "I'd probably be a bad parent."

"Elsa you'd be a wonderful mother," Anna assured her.

"That doesn't change the fact that she's... a bastard child," Elsa said, "And unlike most bastards she's not the result of an affair which makes it worse."

Now that they were alone, Elsa no longer felt the need to sit up straight. She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them.

"I need to think about this," she mumbled, "I need to be alone for a while." Anna nodded understandingly and left the room.

As soon as she was gone, Elsa started to cry. She cried about her rape. She cried about the last nine months. She cried about what some of the citizens of Arrendelle thought of her. And she cried about the possibility that she might never love her bastard daughter.


	9. Melantha

Gerda was rocking the child in the same room in which Anna nearly froze to death. The fire was burning merrily but the child was wailing. Then someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Gerda called. Elsa opened the door slowly.

"How is she?" she said, without actually entering the room.

"She reminds me of my own daughter when she was her age," Gerda chuckled. Elsa hesitantly stepped into the room and sat beside her. The child started to calm down. She noticed her mother and stared curiously. Elsa reached out a finger and the baby grabbed it clumsily. Elsa's lips twitched upwards ever so slightly.

"I can't send her away," Elsa said quietly, "I know I'd regret it if I did."

"Good decision Your Majesty," said Gerda. Elsa sighed.

"She can't be queen," she said, "Not unless Anna and I both die without having any children and even then the people won't be happy about it. What if she grows up like Hans? Always pining for a throne she can never have? What if..." She stopped not wanting to consider the possibility of her own daughter murdering her and Anna to get the throne.

"If you raise her well and love her then she won't," Gerda said.

"What if I can't love her?" asked Elsa.

"You have to try," Gerda said. Then she looked up as someone else entered the room. "Hello Princess." Elsa looked up at her sister. Anna had a sad but approving smile on her face.

"So you're keeping her," she said. Elsa nodded, "Good. Have you thought of a name?" Elsa was quiet for a moment. She stared at the child who was still playing with her finger. Elsa allowed a single snow flake to emerge from her finger tip and land on the baby's nose. The baby went cross eyed as she looked at her nose but the snowflake had already melted.

"Melantha," Elsa said softly, "That's her name."

**Thanks for the help guys. As you can see I've removed the author's note since I don't need it anymore.**


	10. Role Model

One of the maids who could produce milk was feeding Melantha. Elsa entered the room. The maid looked up nervously and rose to put Melantha back in her crib.

"It's alright," Elsa said, "I'm here as a mother, not a queen." The maid relaxed and Elsa sat down. She reached for Melantha and gently lifted her before glancing at the maid, "What's your name?"

"Alice, Your Highness," said the maid. Elsa smiled and nodded politely. The maid still looked nervous but Elsa was used to that. The only people who were comfortable around her were Anna, Kristoff, Kai, Gerda and, although they didn't technically count as people, Olaf and Sven.

Elsa started to feed Melantha from her own breast. The baby suckled eagerly.

"Um, shall I go?" asked Alice nervously.

"You can stay," Elsa said, "This is the first time I've tried this sort of thing." Alice fidgeted uncomfortably. She was younger than Elsa had thought, most likely in her late twenties. They sat in silence while Melantha suckled. Although Elsa had years of practice at hiding her discomfort, this was a situation which had her out of her comfort zone. She felt that she should say something, so she finally asked, "How many children do you have?"

"Just one," mumbled Alice, "I called him Freddie."

"That's nice," Elsa said kindly. She glanced down as Melantha pulled away from her breast and yawned. She opened her eyes and smiled at her mother.

"Was it... hard?" Alice asked, almost inaudibly. Elsa looked at her curiously, "Everyone knows what that man did to you, Your Highness. I think you were incredibly brave to admit that to the entire kingdom _and _keep the child."

"Thank you," Elsa said, "And yes it was very hard. But they would have found out anyway. I couldn't bring myself to abort her. I either had to confess it or wait until Melantha was born and then deal with the scorn," she sighed, "Of course some people think I'm a whore anyway."

"You're much braver than I am," Alice said, "I could never deal with what you went through without killing the baby and I certainly couldn't deal with peoples disapproval," she hesitated, "If it's any comfort, I don't think you're a whore." Elsa smiled.

"Thank you," she said. Then she stood up and carefully placed Melantha in her crib. The baby was now asleep. She looked so sweet and innocent. Elsa straightened, "Look after her," she said to the maid. Alice nodded and Elsa left.

Elsa went down the corridor, thinking. Feeding Melantha from her own breast had made her feel more confident in her ability to look after the child. And she felt comforted by the fact that Alice didn't think she was a whore. She briefly wondered if the maid had just been sucking up to her, but then remembered the sincerity in her eyes as she said it. And the genuine admiration as she commented on Elsa's bravery.

Perhaps she was a good role model for her subjects after all.


	11. Mama

Melantha had grown thick blonde hair, just like her mother. As far as anyone could tell, she bore no resemblance to Hans, which was a great relief to everyone, especially Elsa. Melantha still had not said her first word, but she could crawl very quickly. Currently she was giggling and hiding under her cot. Anna knelt down in exasperation.

"Come on Mellie," she said, "Come out of there." Melantha shook her head and continued giggling. Anna reached under the cot and took Melantha's hand. She could have easily yanked Melantha's tiny body out, but she was worried about hurting the fragile child. She tugged gently, "Come on. It's time for bed."

Melantha threw a snowball in her face. Anna blinked and the toddler giggled loudly.

"So you _do _have Elsa's powers," muttered Anna. It had been well over a year since Melantha's birth and this was the first time she had ever shown any magical potential. Melantha summoned another snowball and threw it again. Then another. And another. Anna retreated, "Stop it! Mellie it's not funny anymore!" Melantha just kept giggling. "MELANTHA STOP!"

That got her attention. Anna only called her by her full name when she was angry. Melantha started to cry. Anna knelt down, wiping snow from her face and hair, "Oh no, no, no Mellie! Don't cry. I'm sorry I shouted."

"What's going on?" asked Elsa, stepping gracefully into the room. She blinked and looked around the snow covered room. Anna glanced up at her.

"Like mother like daughter," she said, gesturing at the snow with a slight smile.

"Oh," Elsa muttered, sounding more worried than happy that her daughter had inherited her abilities, "I was beginning to think..."

"Hey, it's no big deal," Anna reassured her, "We're not going to make the same mistake our parents made." She turned back to Melantha who was still sniffling, "It's okay Mellie. Your mama's here to protect you from your mean Aunt Anna." Elsa smiled and knelt in front of her daughter, spreading her arms.

"Come here Melantha," she said, "Mama wants a hug." The child crawled to her mother and allowed Elsa to pick her up. Anna looked at Elsa.

"Still not comfortable calling her Mellie?" she said. Elsa winced.

"I don't even know why," she muttered, "It just feels... weird."

"Elsa lots of people give their children nicknames," Anna said.

"Yeah but not a lot of people... have children conceived the way I did," Elsa said uncomfortably.

"Melantha's nothing like Hans," Anna said, gesturing to the toddler's blonde hair, "And I can tell that she loves you." She grinned goofily at Melantha, "You love your mama, don't you Mellie?" Melantha replied by snuggling against Elsa happily. Elsa looked down at her uncomfortably.

"Okay Mellie," she said awkwardly, "It's time for your supper."

"There," Anna said, "That wasn't so hard was it?"

* * *

Elsa laid Melantha in her cot. The toddler summoned a snowball and started rolling it curiously between her tiny hands. Elsa smiled.

"Watch this Mela... Mellie," she said and created a snow cloud above the cot, just like Olaf's flurry. Melantha giggled and tried to catch the falling snowflakes, "Maybe one day you'll be able to do that." Elsa was about to leave when Melantha spoke for the first time.

"Mama."

Elsa turned. It was only two syllables but nonetheless the young mother felt pride bloom in her chest. She stepped to the cot and hesitated. Then she did something she had never done to Melantha before. She leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Melantha smiled as her mother drew back and smiled at her. It was quite possibly the first time that Elsa had truly smiled at her daughter and Melantha giggled excitedly, delighted that she had made her mother happy. Elsa was about to dissipate the snow cloud but then reconsidered. She decided to leave it the way it was since the cold clearly didn't bother Melantha.

"Goodnight Mellie."


	12. Green Eyes

Elsa, Anna and Olaf were playing with Melantha, who was using snow to make Olaf fatter and rounder. The snowman was loving it. Melantha looked up at her mother.

"He fat, Mama," she said, pointing to Olaf.

"Yes he is," Elsa agreed, smiling down at her daughter. Then her smile froze and vanished very quickly, being replaced by a look of terror.

"Elsa?" said Anna, "What...?"

Without warning, Elsa turned and sprinted out of the room.

"Elsa!" shouted Anna.

"Mama!" Melantha cried. She made jerky movements and Olaf gasped.

"Anna, look!" he called, forgetting his concern for Elsa as Melantha stood up for the very first time. Anna was at the door but she paused when she heard Olaf's voice. Her round, blue eyes grew even rounder as she saw that Melantha was trying to follow her. On two legs.

"Oh my goodness! Elsa will not want to miss this," she said, "Listen Mellie, I want you to stay with Olaf. I'll get your Mama back and find out what scared her." Melantha had only taken two tiny steps before she fell back onto her bottom, but upon hearing her aunt's words she nodded, although she looked worried and upset. Anna blinked when she noticed that girl's previously baby blue eyes had now turned green.

* * *

Elsa slammed the door of her bedroom and sank to the floor. She tried not to think about why she was panicking but she couldn't help it. Melantha's eyes drifted into her mind. The once baby blue eyes of her daughter were now green.

They reminded Elsa of Hans' eyes.

Elsa noticed that ice was spreading along the floor. She tried to think about Anna but those green eyes kept forcing themselves into her mind. Hans had forced her to look into his eyes right before he entered her. Somehow, the look in his eyes had been more frightening to Elsa than the massive erection he had forced her to look at. Although she had shut her eyes and tried to block him out, that lustful leer was still imprinted on her memory.

"She's not Hans," Elsa told herself, firmly, "She's Melantha!"

_Which means Dark F__lower, _the dark side of her mind reminded her. Elsa tried to shove away the little voice but it spoke a single word before retreating into the corner of her mind. _Deflower._

Elsa's own mind was her most formidable enemy.

Someone knocked on the door. Elsa jumped.

"Elsa!" called Anna, "Why did you run away? What's wrong?" Hearing Anna's voice made Elsa feel better and helped her provide some sense of coherence to her messed up thoughts. She thawed the ice and opened the door. Anna stepped into the room, ignoring the lingering chill. She turned to her sister and raised an eyebrow, "Well?"

"It's Melantha's eyes," Elsa admitted. Anna frowned.

"What about them?" she asked.

"They're green," Elsa said.

"So?" asked Anna, "Babies eyes change colour over time."

"I know, but they're... like Hans' eyes," Elsa forced out. Anna's frown disappeared as she realised what had frightened Elsa.

"Oh, I see," she said. She thought back to Melantha's green eyes, which had been wide and full of concern for her mother. She had even made the effort to follow her. Anna smiled slightly as she remembered how worried Melantha had looked. She took Elsa's hand, "Come with me."

* * *

Melantha was still playing with Olaf who was now back to his usual size. She was jabbing him repeatedly with his own carrot nose. Olaf was laughing, enjoying the game while Melantha jabbed holes in his snowy body.

"Okay, okay, Mellie," Olaf chuckled, "I want my nose back now." He snatched the carrot back and stuck it back into his face. Melantha pouted but brightened when Olaf hugged her. She snuggled against his body, although it now had numerous holes from where the carrot had stabbed him. Melantha looked at the holes and then used her magic to fill them back in. Olaf patted his body and smiled fondly at the child.

Anna entered along with Elsa. Olaf looked up, still smiling.

"Hi!" he said. Melantha waved.

"Hi Mama," she said.

"Elsa," Anna said, smiling reassuringly at her, "Watch this." She looked down at Melantha and the intelligent child realised what her aunt wanted.

The little girl struggled to stand up. She managed to get onto her feet, take a couple of tottering steps, and then lost her balance. Olaf caught her gently. Despite herself, Elsa managed to smile as Melantha got back up to try again. Melantha stumbled forwards, holding her arms out to her mother. Elsa knelt in front of her. Anna smiled as she and Olaf watched Melantha fall clumsily into her mother's arms, seeming worn out from the short walk.

"I walked, Mama," she mumbled.

"Yes, you did," Elsa said proudly. Melantha smiled and her eyes brightened. Elsa's proud smile vanished as she stared into her daughter's green eyes. She saw Hans' cold eyes, filled with lust and triumph as he raped her. Elsa shuddered and turned away.

"Elsa," Anna said, "Look at your daughter."

Elsa realised that Anna wanted her to face her fear. But she couldn't look at those wide, innocent, _green_ eyes. It had been two years since Hans had raped her but the memory was still painful. She remembered feeling his hot body above her. She remembered the agony as he impaled her, the disgust she felt as he fondled her breasts and kissed and bit her neck. She remembered screaming until he stuffed his glove into her mouth and finally she remembered the sheer triumph on his face when he had planted his seed inside her. Elsa's eyes filled with tears.

Then Elsa felt Melantha wrap a tiny hand around her finger.

"Mama?"

There was concern in the child's voice. Melantha wasn't even two years old yet, but she had inherited Elsa's high intelligence as well as her looks. She knew when her mother was unhappy. The sound of her voice and the feel of her tiny hand around her finger gave Elsa courage.

Elsa pushed away the thought of Hans and wiped her eyes. She looked at Melantha again, forcing herself to not think about the green in her daughter's irises. And gradually she realised what Anna had wanted her to look for. Melantha's eyes were green but also large and round, just like Elsa's eyes. And unlike Hans' cold, lustful eyes, Melantha's eyes were filled with warmth and love. Literally there was only one thing in those eyes that even remotely resembled Hans and that was the colour.

Elsa relaxed. She pulled Melantha into a hug.

"I'm fine, Mellie," she said, "Mama just had a crazy moment." Melantha giggled and snuggled against her. Anna and Olaf both smiled. Then Olaf glanced up at Anna.

"What was that about?" he asked quietly.

**I'm going on holiday tomorrow, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to update for the next couple of weeks. If I can't, that's just as well for me, since I'm still not entirely sure where I'm going with this story. **

**By the way, this is NOT a Helsa story. Hans was only attracted to Elsa because of her beauty and position. When he raped her, it gave him a sense of power to have a queen with incredible powers at his mercy. Elsa hates Hans for what he did to her, even though she has learned to love Melantha, and as she has stated in an earlier chapter, she will have him executed if he ever comes back.**


	13. What's a Daddy?

"Mama," asked the five year old Melantha as Elsa tucked her in, "What's a daddy?" Elsa blinked in surprise; although she had been a single parent ever since Melantha's birth, it had never occurred to her that the child had no idea what a daddy was. Melantha elaborated, "Uncle Kristoff said 'kick for daddy' when he had his ear on Aunt Anna's tummy."

Anna and Kristoff had been married a year earlier, despite disapproval from the Council and some of the more traditional citizens. Elsa herself was very happy for them; she had gotten to know Kristoff quite well over the last five years and was confident that he was nothing like Hans. Six months ago, Anna had excitedly told Elsa that she was pregnant. Elsa sometimes felt a strange combination of happiness and sadness when she thought about that. Anna had been impregnated by the man she loved whilst Elsa had been brutally assaulted by a sociopath and had been rejecting the advances of countless suitors ever since.

"A daddy is a papa," Elsa explained.

"Like the ones the other children have?" asked Melantha and Elsa nodded, "Why do they have them?"

"Because their daddy's love them and their mama's," Elsa replied.

"Why don't I have a daddy?" asked Melantha and Elsa winced mentally. She knew that the girl would ask sooner or later. She had just hoped it would be later. A lot later.

"Because he didn't love me," Elsa said.

"Why not!" Melantha looked angry, "You're so kind and pretty and fun and a great mama and queen. Why didn't he love you?"

"I didn't love him either," Elsa said. She really wanted to stop this conversation now but Melantha was stubborn.

"Don't mummy's and daddy's have to love each other to have children?" Melantha asked. That did it. Hans' leering face flashed through Elsa's mind and she remembered his words as he left the cell.

_I've had enough love for today._

Elsa shook her head, both in answer to Melantha's question and to get rid of the memory, "No they don't."

"So how do they have children?" Melantha asked.

"I can't tell you," Elsa said, "You're too young."

"Please, Mama," Melantha pleaded.

"No!" Elsa snapped and Melantha jumped. She wasn't used to hearing her mother get angry. Elsa took a deep breath, "I'm sorry. The truth is your father hurt me and I don't like to think about it."

"I'm sorry," Melantha said in a small voice.

"It's okay, Mellie," Elsa said and Melantha brightened when she said the nickname, "I promise I'll explain when you're older."

"Pinkie promise?" asked Melantha holding out her pinkie. Elsa hesitated for a moment then held out her own pinkie and wrapped it around her daughters.

"Pinkie promise," she said, "But you'll have to wait quite a lot of years."

"Aww," Melantha whined.

"Trust me, you'll be glad I made you wait when you hear what it is," Elsa said darkly. Melantha only grew more curious.

"Give me a clue," she begged.

"I already did," Elsa replied, "I said your father hurt me. That's all you need to know." Melantha looked like she wanted to argue but a single glare from her mother shut her up. It was obvious to the five year old that whatever her father had done to Elsa had scarred her emotionally.

"I'm sorry he hurt you, Mama," Melantha said and Elsa's glare melted into a warm smile.

"Well, I did get one good thing out of it," Elsa said, "I got my beautiful daughter." She tickled Melantha's tummy and the child's laugh was music to her ears.

"Mama stop it!" Melantha laughed, "Mama!" Elsa stopped and smiled before holding out her hand with the palm facing upwards. Melantha did the same and they did their nightly ritual by summoning snowflakes which floated into the air. Melantha giggled; she never tired of summoning snow with her mother. Then little girl waved her hand and the snowflakes disappeared. Elsa smiled proudly and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Mellie," Elsa said. While she was pregnant and for a long time after Melantha's birth, she had never thought it was possible for her to love her daughter so much. Anna was the only person Elsa had ever loved as much as Melantha.

"I love you too, Mama," Melantha replied.


	14. Miscarriage

Elsa left Melantha's room and found Alice outside. The maid looked very upset. She curtsied hastily.

"Alice?" Elsa asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's Princess Anna," Alice cried and Elsa stiffened. She swept past Alice without a word, "Your Majesty wait!" Alice hurried after Elsa, "She's alive and she hasn't been attacked or anything!" Elsa slowed down and looked back at her.

"So what's the matter?" she asked.

"She… she's had a miscarriage," Alice revealed. Elsa felt strength flow out of her body. She nearly collapsed but years of training in grace and poise allowed her to regain her balance, albeit not her composure. She was even paler than usual.

"She… lost the baby?" she whispered. Alice nodded. She was crying now. Elsa pulled herself together, "I need to see her." She swept towards Anna's room. Alice swallowed her tears, made a move to follow, then changed her mind and went down the stairs.

Elsa found Anna and Kristoff in their bedroom. Kristoff was holding Anna who was sobbing uncontrollably. Elsa hesitated, unsure if she should enter since Anna already had someone to comfort her. Anna noticed her. One look told her that Elsa knew the situation.

"You know," she whispered. Elsa nodded.

"Anna, I'm so sorry," she said and went over to the bed. Anna kept one arm around Kristoff and held out the other to Elsa, initiating a three way hug. Elsa embraced her weeping sister. It was awkward with Kristoff simultaneously hugging her but Anna seemed to find comfort in it.

"How could this happen?" Kristoff said. Elsa noticed that he was crying too, although unlike Anna his crying was restricted only to soundless tears.

"I don't know," whispered Elsa. The three of them stayed there for a long time, cursing fate for taking Anna's first child away before it was even born.

* * *

"Mama?" asked Melantha as Elsa took her down to breakfast, "When's my little cousin going to be born?" Ice instantly formed around Elsa's feet. She had trained herself to balance perfectly on ice, ever since that one time she slipped as a child and injured her sister, but Melantha wasn't so experienced. Elsa caught her before she fell and Melantha looked down at the ice, "Oh. That means something bad happened."

"You're not going to have a cousin," Elsa said sadly, "Not unless your Aunt gets pregnant again. She lost the child."

"What do you mean?" Melantha asked worriedly.

"Sometimes a woman can suffer something called a miscarriage," Elsa explained, "If this happens the child dies before it is born. Anna suffered from that." Melantha's eyes widened in horror.

"That's horrible!" she said, "How does it happen?"

"I don't know," admitted Elsa, "Anna was just very unlucky." She thawed the ice around their feet and they continued towards the great hall.

* * *

Anna sat on her bed, all alone. A plate of untouched breakfast was beside her. Even a chocolate bar Elsa had given her had been ignored. Someone knocked on the door. Anna didn't even look up. She felt as dead inside as her never to be born child.

"Aunt Anna?" Anna raised her head ever so slightly when she heard her niece's voice, "Can I come in?"

"Yes," Anna said, sounding exhausted and miserable. Melantha opened the door and hesitantly went over to the bed. She climbed up and stood in front of Anna. She was so small that even whilst Anna was sitting down, Melantha was still several inches shorter.

"Mama told me," Melantha said simply and wrapped her arms around her Aunt. Anna embraced her niece and started to cry again.

**I haven't written the next chapter yet. Normally, I prefer to write chapter's in advance before posting them but even after two weeks, I'm still suffering from writers block. I'm not sure when I'll update again but I do intend to continue.**


	15. Winter Games

Melantha was playing with Olaf and some other children in the courtyard. It was early winter (a natural winter this time). Elsa had made half of the courtyard into a skating ring, which had become traditional for each winter in Arrendelle. The other half was a snowy landscape of snowdrifts, snow slides and snow pillars. Elsa had made sure the snow pillars had thick piles of snow underneath them so that no children would get hurt if they fell off.

Melantha had helped but her magical powers were nowhere near as strong as her mothers and she doubted they ever would be.

"Mellie!" called a tiny brunette girl, Clara, "Why isn't Princess Anna playing with us?" Melantha was focussing on keeping her balance on the skating ring. She faltered and slipped over. Clara caught her, "You okay?"

"Yeah thanks," Melantha replied then skated to a fountain. She sat down and the other children noticed she had lost her enthusiasm.

"What's wrong?" asked Clara.

"Aunt Anna... doesn't leave her room much now and she hasn't played with me for days," said Melantha sadly, "Her baby died." Everyone looked confused.

"How could it die if it wasn't even born?" asked Freddie, a large, red haired boy.

"I don't know," Melantha said, "But it did. She's really upset." Olaf slid over and patted her hand with one of his twigs. Everyone was silent for a moment.

"Who wants to play Stab the Snowman!?" Olaf called suddenly, pulling out his nose and giving it to Melantha, "Come and catch me Mellie!" He ran to the snowy side of the courtyard and suddenly the gloomy atmosphere was gone. Melantha giggled and chased Olaf, holding his carrot nose like a sword while the snowman fled, hiding behind Elsa's snowdrifts, pillars and slides, laughing with delight.

Before long the children were taking turns stabbing Olaf, who simply laughed. Being mutilated did nothing more than tickle him. Freddie then pulled off his head and threw him at Clara. Clara caught the head and threw it to Melantha. Olaf laughed as Melantha dropped his head.

"You sure you're not Princess Anna's daughter?" teased Clara.

"Yes I'm sure," Melantha said, annoyed and kicked Olaf's head with all her strength. He flew over the heads of the children, still laughing. He landed in Elsa's hands. She smiled fondly at him and he grinned widely.

"Hi Olaf," she said then looked at the children, "Hi children."

"Mama!" cried Melantha excitedly.

"Queen Elsa!" cried the other children, sounding just as excited as Melantha. Elsa walked gracefully between the children and put Olaf's head back on his shoulders. She put her hands on her hips when she saw the holes all over Olaf's body.

"Alright, whose idea was it to poke holes in Olaf?" she asked, pretending to be annoyed.

"Mine!" Olaf said happily. Elsa rolled her eyes.

"You shouldn't encourage them," she said with a smile. She built up snow around Olaf's body, making him fatter and taller. Eventually he had enough snow on his body to make him almost as big as Marshmallow but he looked absurd with his comparatively tiny arms and head. Elsa had even built up his legs to support the weight of his now huge body.

"I've grown up!" Olaf said happily, "You should make me big more often!" Elsa smiled and pointed playfully at the children.

"Get them," she said pretending to be a villainess. The children pretended to be frightened and some screamed but most laughed as the absurdly large Olaf lumbered after them.

Anna looked out of her window and smiled slightly when she saw Olaf lumbering around, waving his tiny arms and making sounds that were probably supposed to be intimidating. Anna looked down as Olaf passed underneath her. She shrugged and jumped out of the window, landing on Olaf's shoulder and sinking into it. Olaf glanced around in surprise.

"Hey, Anna's here!" he said. Elsa looked up and saw Anna wedged in Olaf's shoulder. She glanced at the window Anna had jumped from then looked at Anna disapprovingly. Anna noticed and grinned guiltily. Elsa rolled her eyes and stripped away the snow around Olaf's body and legs until he was back to his normal size and Anna was on the ground.

"Anna..." Elsa began.

"I know, I know, I shouldn't jump out of third story windows," Anna said, "Although I did once fall two hundred feet without getting hurt." Elsa grimaced as she realised what Anna was referring to. She hadn't seen Marshmallow chase Anna and Kristoff off a cliff but after Anna told her, she had stormed to the North Mountain and given Marshmallow a good scolding. She had scolded herself too for nearly causing Anna to get hurt by her snow creature.

"Aunt Anna!" cried Melantha, "Have you come to play with us?"

"Sure," Anna said, giving the first proper smile since her miscarriage. The children and Olaf cheered. Elsa smiled fondly.

"Who wants a snow war?" Elsa asked.

"Yes!" everyone yelled. Anna spoke with a little less enthusiasm than usual, but only Elsa noticed. Of course Anna was still hurting, but she had to move on.

**I'm thinking about bringing Hans back but if he returns, I want Melantha to be older, probably around nine or ten.**

**I'm going to Spain for a few days so it's possible that I might not be able to update even if my writers block fades.**


	16. Mystery Man

Melantha wandered through the streets with Clara and Freddie. Now eleven years old, she looked like a younger, smaller version of her mother, apart from her green eyes. She even liked to copy Elsa's signature hairstyle, with her braided blonde hair falling over her shoulder.

"I heard Princess Anna's trying to have another kid," Clara said.

"Took her six years to get over losing the first one," grunted Freddie.

"I hope she does have a kid this time," Melantha said, "I want to have a cousin."

"Doesn't that mean you won't be able to be Queen though?" Clara pointed out. Melantha shrugged.

"Mother doesn't like being Queen so I don't think I would either," she said and her friends stared at her.

"I thought Queen Elsa loved being Queen," said Freddie.

"No," Melantha replied, "She says being Queen is a sucky job. Too much responsibility. I hate responsibility."

"So you won't be at all jealous if Anna has a baby?" asked Clara. Melantha shook her head.

"Nah," she said, "I'd be relieved. Not being a suitable heir is probably the only good thing about being an illegitimate child."

"Thank god you're not like most nobles," said Clara, "I've heard that most of them, apart from Queen Elsa and Princess Anna, are corrupt, greedy and selfish."

"They are," Melantha said, "My Mother and Aunt are the only decent nobles I know."

They reached the market place. A thin, red haired man with a thick beard appeared beside them. Freddie looked warily at him but Clara and Melantha were less cautious.

"Excuse me," said the man, "Are you Princess Melantha?"

"Yes," Melantha said warily, "Why?"

"You look just like your mother," said the man wistfully. He turned away. Melantha noticed his stooped posture, as if he was sad.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I just miss her," said the man. Melantha blinked.

"Well if you want to see her, you can request an audience," she offered.

"No," the man sighed, "She hates me." He left. Melantha looked at her friends.

"Who was that weirdo?" asked Freddie.

"I have no idea," muttered Melantha.

* * *

Elsa was now thirty two years old, but she was still as beautiful as she had been when she was twenty one. Melantha visited her study.

"Hi Mellie," Elsa said, without looking up from her work, "How was your day?"

"Weird," muttered Melantha, "I met a strange man who says he knows you." Elsa was instantly alert.

"Everyone knows me," she said warily.

"Yes but this guy seemed... to know you personally," Melantha said, "He seemed sad." Elsa frowned.

"What did he look like?" she asked.

"Very thin, red hair, red beard and he seemed old," Melantha said, "I mean he wasn't old; I don't think he was much older than you, but he seemed... like he'd aged beyond his years."

"You know you shouldn't talk to strangers, Mellie," Elsa scolded.

"I know," Melantha said.


	17. More Secrets

Hans had been banished from his own kingdom eleven years ago. He blamed Elsa and Anna for that, being too vain to admit to himself that it was his own fault.

Melantha had not been nearly as sheltered as Elsa and Anna had been in their childhoods, and Hans saw her wandering around town frequently. He wanted to hurt Elsa and Anna however he could and he was trying to think of a way to use his daughter to do just that. At the moment though, he wanted to know more about her.

One day, Melantha wandered into the alley in which Hans lived. Olaf was with her.

"Got any change?" said Hans.

"Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" said Olaf holding out his arms. Hans grimaced but didn't want to make a bad first impression on Melantha, so he accepted the hug. Melantha looked around the alley.

"You live here?" she said, shocked.

"Yes," said Hans. Melantha took some coins out of her dress and put them into his hand.

"Here," she said, "Winter's coming so you should find somewhere to sleep."

"Thank you," said Hans.

"How do you know my mama?" Melantha asked after a pause.

"She and I... had a thing a long time ago," Hans replied, "But then we had a misunderstanding and she threw me out."

"What happened?"

"She hurt me," Hans lied, "A long time ago, she couldn't control her powers and they went out of control. I tried to warm her up and stop her powers but she froze my heart. Then she forced me to leave. I was lucky that my big brothers loved me enough to thaw my heart." Melantha looked shaken. "You're mother's dangerous. Those powers are dangerous."

"But... I have them too," said Melantha in a small voice.

"Then you need to keep them controlled," said Hans.

* * *

Melantha found Elsa reading in her room. Elsa looked up from her book.

"Mama," said Melantha, "Are my powers dangerous?"

"Not as dangerous as mine," she said, "But they can be."

"Could they freeze someone's heart?" asked Melantha. Elsa paused.

"Possibly," she admitted.

"Have you ever frozen someone's heart?" asked Melantha, "And then thrown them out?" Guilt crossed Elsa's face.

"Yes," she admitted, "But that was before I learned to control my powers. Why all these questions, Mellie?"

"Nothing," Melantha lied. She turned and left. Elsa watched, worried.

Melantha trudged down the corridor. She raised a hand and summoned some snowflakes. Then she closed her hand. She thought about the secrets her mother had kept from her throughout her short life. She still refused to tell her who her father was, insisting that eleven wasn't old enough, and she had never before implied that the powers they shared were dangerous. The last thing Melantha wanted to do was freeze someone's heart.

Melantha thought about the mystery man in the alley. She knew she had never seen him before in her life, but some gut instinct was telling her that there was a connection between them.

**I'm still struggling with writers block. **


	18. Overprotective

Hans had gained enough money from his daughter's naïve kindness to rent himself a room in the tavern. Nobody recognised him; it was amazing how much a beard and eleven years of aging could change a man. He went by the name of Lucius now.

Elsa had started accompanying Melantha around town from time to time, worried about her tendency to interact with strangers. Nobody was brave or foolish enough to attempt to kidnap Melantha in the city, but Elsa was very protective of her daughter.

She would willingly give up her kingdom for her.

Hans intended to use that. But with the Snow Queen acting as Melantha's personal body guard, a kidnap attempt would be suicide. Then again if Melantha went with him of her own volition...

Hans wondered if Elsa had ever told her daughter how she was conceived.

Asking her would not be easy. Hans had no doubt that even with his beard, aging and almost skeletal form, Elsa would still recognise him in an instant. And even when Elsa wasn't around, Olaf stuck by Melantha like a Siamese sibling. Like Elsa, Olaf suspected someone unscrupulous wanted something from Melantha.

In fact, Elsa already suspected that Hans was in the city. The reason she hadn't acted was because she didn't _know _if the red haired man was Hans, having not met him in person, or an innocent beggar. Frankly, Elsa didn't always trust her gut instinct; it was that which had caused her to instinctively freeze Arrendelle a decade earlier. She didn't want to risk bringing winter down on an innocent man.

But she also didn't want to risk Melantha's safety. And she knew she was doing just that. It frightened her. She didn't want to control Melantha the way her parents had controlled her, but if the eleven year old got hurt, Elsa would never forgive herself. She was busy so she couldn't accompany Melantha all the time. Olaf loyally stuck with Melantha constantly whenever Elsa or Anna were unable to but realistically he wouldn't be able to do anything more than annoy anyone who attacked the girl.

Melantha was getting annoyed by her mother's overprotectiveness, as well as Olaf's constant presence. As much as she loved the snowman, he sometimes drove her mad in the way a brother annoys his sister. Elsa tried her best to give Melantha space, but the girl was clever and knew that Elsa was trying to keep an eye on her constantly, if not personally then through Olaf, Anna and anyone else who saw her. The worst part was that Melantha felt Elsa had gone from protective to downright paranoid. The beggar in the alley had been a stranger; Melantha understood that, but he had looked so poor and miserable that the compassionate girl just had to do something to help.

Besides Hans hadn't approached Melantha, nor had she approached him, since the day she gave him money in the alley. She was still curious, very curious, but she was also frightened and it didn't help that she was constantly being watched.

* * *

Melantha wandered through the town with Olaf on her heels. Using her powers, Melantha swept Olaf into the air on a powerful wind. The people around her shivered at the sudden temperature chance, but a few of the children laughed and pointed to the flying snowman. Olaf didn't realize what Melantha was doing at first, so he waved and laughed with the children.

Then Melantha separated each section of his body, including his carrot nose, both legs, both arms and even his buttons but leaving his eyes and buck toothed mouth intact, and blew them in several different directions.

"Snowman hunt!" Melantha called to the children. They all knew what that meant and rushed off in different directions to retrieve Olaf's body parts and put him back together. It was like an Easter Egg hunt. Melantha noticed that she hadn't blown Olaf's head very far.

"Mellie!" Olaf's head yelled, sounding annoyed, "What are you doing!"

"Sorry. I need some alone time," Melantha said apologetically, then ran away.

**Updates are unlikely to be frequent but I haven't given up on this story.**


	19. Revelation

Hans watched Melantha from the tavern window. The girl was searching in the alley where he had lived.

"Princess!" Hans called softly. Melantha looked up.

"Oh, there you are," she said, "Could you come down here?" Hans nodded and left the window. Melantha fidgeted nervously as she waited for him. When he arrived she cut to the chase, "Who are you and how do you know my Mama?"

"I was once a powerful man believe it or not," Hans said sadly, "But I got robbed of that power by your mother."

"Mama wouldn't do that without good reason," Melantha said. Hans paused. Now was the time to ask.

"Do you know how babies are conceived?" he asked. Melantha shook her head, "Of course not; you're too young. Do you know who your father is?" Again, Melantha shook her head.

"Mama said my papa hurt her," she said, "She won't tell me anything else."

"We hurt each other," Hans said, choosing his words carefully, "She was so beautiful. She... provoked me."

"How?" asked Melantha.

"Revealing clothes," Hans said, "I couldn't control myself, but afterwards she accused me of attacking her." Melantha had made the connection by now but she still waited, "She sent me away and threatened to have me executed if I ever returned. But when I learned I had a daughter, I had to come back." He looks at Melantha meaningfully.

"Your my papa," Melantha asked. It wasn't a question, for she knew the answer. Hans nodded.

At that moment Clara and Freddie arrived. Father and daughter looked up.

"Mellie!" called Clara, "What are you doing?"

"Finding out the truth," Melantha said.

"Well now you know the truth," Hans said. He kissed Melantha's forehead and walked away. Melantha touched her forehead.

"Who was he?" asked Freddie.

"My papa," Melantha replied. Her friends stared at her for a moment. She changed the subject, "Have you put Olaf back together?"

"We're trying to find his buttons and one arm," said Clara, "Give us a clue will you?"

"Look on the castle bridge," Melantha said. The trio left the alley. Melantha headed straight back towards the castle while Clara and Freddie searched the bridge.


	20. The Truth

Melantha entered Elsa's study. The Snow Queen had just finished her work. She noticed her daughter was angry.

"Mellie?" Elsa asked.

"I found him," Melantha said simply.

"Who?" asked Elsa.

"My papa," Melantha replied, confirming the suspicions that Elsa had been having ever since Melantha had told her about the stranger in the alley.

"So it was him," Elsa clenched her fists, "I knew it."

"Why did you push him away?" asked Melantha, "He's nice!"

"That's what your Aunt Anna thought," Elsa said calmly, "Before Hans tried to steal the throne and kill both of us."

"If he's my papa, he's entitled to the throne!" Melantha yelled.

"No!" snapped Elsa, "He's an evil man, Mellie! You can't trust him!"

"But I can trust you after you hid this from me all my life?" Melantha challenged.

"I was trying to protect you," Elsa protested.

"Like you protected Aunt Anna and ruined both of your childhoods?" sneered Melantha. It was a low blow but the girl was too angry to care. Elsa looked deeply wounded. Melantha turned and stormed out of the room.

"Mellie wait!" Elsa cried, "You don't know the whole story!"

"I know enough!" Melantha retorted.

* * *

Melantha was in her room packing. Elsa entered the room.

"What are you doing?" she said.

"Leaving," Melantha snapped.

"Mellie please listen to me," Elsa pleaded, "I'll tell you everything."

"Too late," Melantha was about to leave but Elsa froze the door, "Let me out!"

"Not until you've let me explain!" Elsa cried. Melantha tried to thaw the door but she was too angry and Elsa's powers were far stronger than hers anyway. Folding her arms furiously, Melantha turned and glared at her mother.

"Explain!" she snapped. Elsa took a deep breath. Melantha was only eleven but Elsa knew that she couldn't avoid this discussion any longer.

"Twelve years ago I was imprisoned because I couldn't control my powers," Elsa explained, "Your... father," she spat the word out with disgust, "visited me. He hurt me badly and made me pregnant."

"What did he do?" asked Melantha, "And don't you dare say I'm too young." Elsa really didn't want to explain sex to the eleven year old but Melantha had a stubborn look on her face. Elsa knew that she wouldn't be satisfied until she knew the whole truth.

"You know that boys and men all have a willy," she said carefully. Melantha nodded, "They aren't just used for peeing." Melantha's stubborn expression turned to confusion. "When a man and a woman are trying to... have babies, the man puts his willy into the woman's front bottom and... squirts a special liquid into her."

"Eew!" Melantha shrieked.

"If a man does it when a woman doesn't want him to, it's called rape," Elsa continued. "That's what Hans did to me. That's how you were created." Melantha stared at Elsa in shock.

"So... you never meant to have me?" she asked in a small voice.

"No," admitted Elsa, "And thinking about how you were conceived still hurts. But I've never regretted keeping you."

Melantha's anger melted away. Now she felt shocked and miserable. Elsa approached and knelt in front of her.

"Mellie," Elsa said, looking into her daughter's eyes, "I hate Hans for what he did to me and I wish that you hadn't been conceived in such a violent way. But I love you. You're my little girl and I'll always love you." Melantha knew that she meant it. Elsa had always treated her with complete and unconditional love. She was a wonderful mother; Melantha had always known that but until now she had taken it for granted. Melantha felt guilty for forcing Elsa to make such a painful confession. She remembered the night when she was five years old and had asked Elsa what a daddy was.

_Trust me, you'll be glad I made you wait when you hear what it is._

Melantha started to cry. She wasn't even entirely sure why. Relief for discovering the truth at last? Anger towards Hans for raping her mother? Sorrow now that she knew that Elsa loved her so much that it hurt? All Melantha knew was that she wanted to cry.

"I'm sorry Mama," whimpered Melantha, "I'm sorry for what he did to you. I'm sorry that I remind you of it." Elsa hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"You remind me that every cloud has a silver lining," she whispered, "Hans is a wicked man, but he gave me the greatest gift I could ever hope to have."

Melantha hugged Elsa back and sobbed. Elsa just held her until she calmed down.

"What are we going to do about Hans?" asked Melantha.

"I warned him not to return," Elsa said grimly, "He ignored the warning."


End file.
